Apparatus for varying the forces exerted on the work roll chocks in multi-roll rolling mills



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APPARATUS FOR VARYING THE FORCES -AEXERED ON THE WORK Y' ROLL CHOCKS INMULTI-ROLL ROLLING MILLS Filed April 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 19h 9 .O ,20a

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' APPARATUS FOR VARYING THE FORCES EXERTED ON THE ROLL CHOCKS IN MULTI-ROLL ROLLING `MILLS l 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet l4 Filed April 2 15b FIG] United States Patent O 3,495,430 APPARATUS FOR VARYING 'II-IE FORCES EX- ERTED N THE WORK ROLL CHOCKS 1N MULTI-ROLL ROLLING MILLS Lucien Diolot, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, assignor to Societe Nouvelle Spdem, Paris, France Filed Apr. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 633,299 Claims priority, appliczsilio France, Apr. 22, 1966,

U.S. Cl. 72-237 16 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A regulating device for multi-roll rolling mills, in which the forces of the jacks acting on the work roll chocks may be varied in size, the said forces being able to take the diametrically opposite direction on the axis of the said jacks which are incorporated in blocks xed onto the uprights of the window of the rolling mill and placed between the upper and lower bearing chocks so as to act as a buttress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Users of flat rolled products are setting more and more exacting requirements as regards quality, surface states, cold working, uniformity and precision in dimensions; rolling mill iirms in their turn are trying to obtain better outputs from their machines.

Thus, rolling mill constructors are led to investigate all possible apparatus and methods in order to satisfy the user and the client. To this end, they have conceived various systems whereby the forces exerted on the Chocks of the work or backing-up rolls can be varied.

The apparatus used up to the present day provides hydraulic jacks which are incorporated or fixed in or on the working or backing-up roll chocks; these jacks are connected by flexible pipes to the pressure iluid supply connections.

-Each time the rolls are changed, these exible pipes have to be disconnected and this operation has several disadvantages, including the following:

(a) Loss of time involved in the disconnecting operation,

(b) Escape of uid over the rolling elements, resulting in the need for considerable cleaning to be carried out so as not to soil the rolled products, and this involves an additional considerable loss of time,

(c) The need vfor a long air venting operation for the hydraulic circuits at reconnection thereof, since even if the greatest precautions are taken air inevitably enters the hydraulic system when disconnecting the exible pipes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to obtain a variation in the direction and intensity of the forces exerted on the work roll chocks of a four-high rolling mill, while eliminating the disadvantages inherent in known arrangements mentioned hereinbefore.

There has already been proposed a solution for achieving this object which proposal is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 633,297, led on Apr. 24, 1967, for An Apparatus For Varying The Forces Exerted on Work Roll Chocks Of Multi-Roll Rolling Mills, in the name of Lucien R. Bournez et al., and assigned to a common assignee herewith.

The present invention provides another solution which appears to permit a greater number of constructional varieties.

The invention relates to an apparatus for varying the forces exerted on the work roll Chocks in multi-roll rolling mills, this apparatus comprising more particularly the feature that blocks fixed to the uprights of the rolling mill housings are interposed between the chocks of the backingup rolls and bear against the chocks of the work rolls, these blocks providing cavities in which hydraulic jacks are accommodated, the pistons of these jacks being adapted to act against the lateral surface of the work roll chocks in such a manner that the displacement of these pistons in one direction or in the other causes the work rolls to be moved towards or away from one another.

The invention comprises other features which form part of it and will be brought out in the course of the following description of various possible embodiments of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational View with a section taken along line I-I of FIGURE 2 of a four-high rolling mill equipped with an apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 correspond respectively to FIG- URES 1 and 2 providing another embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 3 is a section along line III--III of FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 4 is a section along line IV--IV of FIGURE 3';

FIGURES 5 and 6 correspond respectively to FIG- URES 1 and 2 providing an additional embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 5 is a section along line V--V of FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 6 is a section along line VI-VI of FIGURE 5'; and

FIGURES 7 and 8 correspond respectively to FIG- URES 1 and 2 providing a further embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 7 is a section along line VII--VII of FIGURE 8 and FIGURE 8 is a section along line VIII- VIII of FIGURE 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGURE 1, 1 is the housing upright in which are shown the chocks 2 and 3 of the backing-up rolls and the chocks 4 and 5 of the work rolls.

The three blocks 6, 7 and 8 (6a, 701, 8a) are assembled and fixed at each side of the upright window. In the upper blocks 6-6a, middle blocks 7-7a, and lower blocks 3-8a there are formed respectively the cylindrical cavities 9-9a, 10-10a, and 11-11a. Housings 0r wells of rectangular form 14-14a, 15-15a are provided in the end portions of the middle blocks 7-7a. Solid elements 12-12a, 1.313a of T-shape constituting two jacks of pistons whose central projection portion is in the form of a rectangular parallelipiped are arranged respectively in the cylinders 9, 10, 11 at one side and 9a, 10a, 11a at the other side.

This assembly forms in `a downward sense and at each side of the upright window two groups of jacks.

One of the ends of the central projection portion of rectangular section can be displaced in the housings or wells provided for this purpose 14-14a, 15-15a, the other end being accommodated in a special element 1616a and 17-17a adapted to slide in the longitudinal grooves or tracks situated at each side of the work roll Chocks and forming a sliding channel for removal of the rolls.

Preloading jacks 18a, 18b, 18C, 18d and 19a, 19h, 19C, 19d, are provided to act on the back-up roll chocks. In the jacks acting on the work roll chocks, the fluid can be admitted through the orifices 20, 20a, 2121a, and 22- 22a.

To vary the forces on the work chocks, the fluid under pressure is admitted through the various orices. For example, by admitting fluid under pressure through orilices 21 and 21a, the forces transmitted by the work roll chocks tend to move them away and therefore to increase the contact pressure between the corresponding work rolls and backing-up rolls. On the other hand, by

3 admitting fluid through the orifices 2020tz and 2.2-22@ the forces transmitted by the jacks tend to move the work roll ehocks towards one another and therefore to reduce the contact force between the corresponding work rolls.

According to another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, there are arranged in the upright support 1 of the housing the backing-up roll chocks 2 and 3, the work roll chocks 4 and 5 and the apparatus for varying the forces acting on the work roll chocks. Fixed at each side of the window of the upright 1 are the upper blocks 66a, middle blocks 7-7a and lower blocks 8-8a. In these blocks are formed the cylinders of the preloading jacks acting on the upper chocks, jacks 18a-18h and 19a19b acting on the chock 2 and jacks 18c-18d and 19c19d acting on the chock 3.

For the apparatus for varying roll pressure in accordance with the invention, the cylinders 9-9a are formed in the upper blocks 6-611, 1li-10a in the middle blocks 7-7a and 11-11a in the lower blocks 8-8a. The pistons 26-26a are mounted in the cylinders 10-10a and the pistons 29- 29a in the cylinders 11-11a. Each piston bears on the work roll chocks with sleeves 30-30a, 5l-31a, 32-32a, 13S-33a. The work roll chocks 4 and 5 are provided with projections which have such a shape that these portions receiving the forces can slide in the longitudinal direction in spaces 23-23a and 24-24a provided for this purpose formed on either side of the projection on the middle block 7-7a and bound by projection portions on the blocks 645e and 8-8a.

The iiuid can be applied through the orifices 20-20a, 2121a, and 22-22a to the hydraulic jacks. if the fluid under pressure is applied through the orifices 21-21a, the forces acting on the work roll chocks tend to move them away from one another, which increases the force exerted on the line of Contact of the backing-up and work rolls. On the other hand, if the uid is applied through the orifices Ztl-20a and 22-22a, the forces exerted tend to make the work roll chocks approach one another, which has the object of reducing at the line of contact the forces acting on the work and backing-up rolls.

FIGURES and 6 relate to an additional embodiment of the invention. In FIGURE 5 there is shown the upright 1 of the housing; in the window there can be seen the backing-up roll chocks 2 and 3 and the work roll chocks 4 and 5. At each side or the window, the blocks 6-6a are fixed to the upright 1, the cylinders 7-7n', S-Sa, 9-9a and 10-10a are formed in these blocks, and also those of the preloading jacks 11a, 11b, 11C, 11d and 12a, 12b, 12e and 12d, acting on the backing-up roll chocks.

The pistons 13-1311, 14-14a, 15-15a, 16-16a of the jacks are mounted respectively in the cylinders 737er, 8-8a, 9-9a and 16-10a in projections on the blocks 6-6a. The forces exerted by these pistons are transmitted to the work roll chocks by way of sleeves 17-17a, 18-18a, 19-19a, 20-20a bearing on suitable projections from the chocks.

Fluid under pressure can be admitted into the jacks thus constituted through the orifices 21-21a, 22-22a, 23:- 2341 and 24-24a. if the fluid under pressure is admitted through the orifices 21-21a and 24=24a, for example, the forces exerted on the work roll chocks tend to move them apart and therefore to increase the forces acting on the line of contact between the backing-up and work rolls. Conversely, if the iiuid under pressure is admitted through the orices 22-22a, 23-230, the forces transmitted to the Work roll chocks tend to make them approach one another and therefore to reduce the forces exerted on the line of contact between the work and backing-up rolls.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. In FIGURE 7, 1 in one of the uprights of the housing, 2 and 3 are the backing-up roll chocks and 4 and 5 the work roll chocks. At each side of the window of the upright there are fixed the blocks 6 and 7 in which are mounted the preloading jacks for the backing-up roll chocks and also the jacks used for varying for-ces exerted on the work roll chocks.

The cylinders 7-7a, 3-8a, 99a, and 10-10a are formed in the blocks 6-611, pistons 11-11a, 12-12a, 13-13a and 14-14a sliding in these cylinders. Each piston transmits the force produced by the fluid under pressure to respective surfaces on suitable projections from the Work roll chocks by means of sleeves 17-17a, 18-18a, 19-19a, 20- 20a, said projections having a generally triangular crosssection. The fluid under pressure is admitted into each jack through orifices 21-21a, 22-22a, 23-23a and 24-24a. The supporting surfaces provided on the projections from the work roll chocks are normal to the pistons and are disposed so that the chocks can be displaced in the iongitudinal sense in similarly shaped grooves formed in the blocks 6-6a between projecting portions thereof. Jacks 15aj 15in, 15C, 15d, and 16a, 16b, 16e, 16d provided for preloading purposes act on the backing-up roll chocks, being positioned between these chocks and the blocks 6- 6a.

If the fluid under pressure is admitted through the orifices 22-22@ and 23a-23a, the forces transmitted to the chocks 4 and 5 tend to move them away from one another, which corresponds to an increase in the force acting on the contact line between the backing-up and work rolls. Conversely, if the fluid is admitted through the orifices 21-21a and 24-24a the forces exerted on the chocks 4 and 5 tend to make them approach onel another, which corresponds to reduction in the force acting on the line of contact between the backing-up and work rolls.

All of the disclosed apparatus in accordance with the invention have the same advantages from the point of view of roll changing whether it is a question of the backing-up rolis or the work rolls. In fact, in View of the present invention, the means for supplying iiuid under pressure into the backing-up or Work roll chocks which exist in known apparatus have been dispensed with, which means a very appreciable saving of time at disconnection and reassembly. Since the supply means are constantly connected to the blocks 6-6a, even during removal of a roll, it is no longer possible for air to enter the hydraulic circuits owing to disconnection of supply connections from iiexible hydraulic pipes. Since air intakes are avoided, the disturbances due to such intakes do not occur. For example, the draining of the hydraulic circuits when restarting after roll changing, especially when changing the work rolls, is no longer necessary and this constitutes another very appreciable saving of time.

Systems for bringing the work rolls very quickly out of the housings can be provided in accordance with the invention, which again reduces the time required when changing rolls.

I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention. It is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for varying the forces exerted on the work roll chocks in multi-roll roliing mills comprising at least one pair of work rolls and chocks supporting said work rolls in proximity to each other, each of said chocks having lateral projections forming gliding support surfaces on opposite sides thereof,

a rolling mill housing for supporting said chocks including, a plurality of blocks providing projections engaging with the projections from said chocks and upright housing members supporting said blocks adjacent said chocks, and

adjustable support means mounted on each of said fixed blocks and bearing upon said gliding support surfaces of each of said lateral projections on said chocks for adjustably supporting said chocks on said housing means for raising and lowering thereof while ermitting removal thereof by longitudinal sliding on said gliding support surfaces.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable support means includes a plurality of hydraulic jacks each having pistons, said blocks having cavities within which said jacks are accommodated with the pistons thereof acting on said gliding, support surfaces of said lateral projections in such a manner that the displacement of these pistons in one direction causes the work rolls to move toward one another and displacement in the opposite direction causes the work rolls to move away from one another.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said blocks consist of a plurality of housing members connected together.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said blocks consist of a one-piece housing member on each side of said work roll chocks.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein at each side of a work roll chock a single jack effects the lifting and lowering of said chock.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein at each side of a work roll chock a rst jack is provided for lifting and a second jack is provided for lowering said chock.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said jacks on each side of said work roll chocks are arranged vertically and each jack piston is T-shaped having a central horizontal bar engaging with a respective chock to form said lateral projection therefrom, said chocks having horizontal grooves in the opposite sides thereof with said horizontal bars of said pistons slidingly engaged therein.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the horizontal bar of each T-shaped piston is extended above the T-shape, said blocks providing a small recess for said extensions.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein at cach side of the work roll chocks the jacks are accommodated in a single vertical Well in the associated blocks.

10. Apparatus as defined in clairn 2, wherein said blocks are provided with openings corresponding to the general shape of said projections which are accommodated therein.

11. Apparatus as dened in claim 10, wherein said projections from said work roll chocks has a V-shaped horizontal cross-section and the jacks on each side of said chocks acting thereon are arranged on a single vertical axis.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said jacks are arranged vertically and the piston of each jack is mounted in a projection of a block passing between a pair of projections on said chocks, the pistons thereof bearing on the horizontal Isurface of said chock projections.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein each projection from a block embodies a pair of oppositely directed jack pistons contacting respective chock projections.

14. Apparatus as dened in claim 2, wherein the jacks are arranged obliquely to the vertical and the projection on each corresponding chock is provided with surfaces transverse to the oblique axis of jacks for contacting the pistons thereof.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said projections on each work roll chock have a crosssec tional shape in the form of a right-angled isosceles triangle, a jack being provided to act on each side of the right angle.

16. Apparatus according to claim 2, further including backing-up rolls and chocks for support thereof, and a plurality of preloading jacks positioned between said blocks and said backing-up roll chocks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,007 2/1933 Ewart 72243 1,935,091 11/1933 Iversen 72--245 FOREIGN PATENTS 194,574 2/ 1965 Sweden. 644,874 9/ 1962 Italy.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner B. I. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. XJR. 72--245 

